Dear members of
the Legion of Christ and the Regnum Christi Movement, my
brothers and sisters in the Lord,

On my own
behalf and that of the advisors who accompany me in
my task as pontifical delegate, I send you my heartfelt
and fraternal best wishes for Christmas and a happy New
Year.

Christmas this year marks an important stage on
the journey we are making together. We have already spoken
to each other a lot. There have also been personal
meetings, and we have had deep communication with each other
based as it is on our shared faith in the
Lord who walks with us. We recognize him as our
Savior who saves us by freeing us from the evil
roots that still remain in us, and who gives us
the new life of God’s children.

In whatever part
of the world Christmas night finds us, we will hear
the echo of the marvelous words the angels sang above
the cave of Bethlehem: “Glory to God in the highest
heaven and peace on earth to those he loves.” We
are on earth! But we cannot remain locked in earth’s
horizons, which would easily sink us in darkness. We are
called to look on high, to heaven, where we contemplate
the face of God the Father who loves us and
gives us his peace. The supreme act of his love
is his gift of his Son, Jesus Christ, who becomes
our brother to give us divine life. He enters into
our history so that we can enter into God’s; he
enters into time so that we can open ourselves to
eternity. The face of God’s love shining forth in the
face of Jesus, the Word made flesh, provides us with
the horizon or point of reference to see where we
are and joyfully resume our journey.

As well as
conveying my best wishes, I want to thank all those
who have wanted to commit themselves to follow the path
of brotherhood, renewal, and reconciliation that we have taken, giving
their positive contribution toward greater understanding, acceptance, and building the
community. Special thanks to those who have known how to
commit themselves to fostering the atmosphere of brotherhood and trust,
offering where necessary their forgiveness, as sons of God who
imitate their heavenly Father.

I particularly thank all those
who with trust have committed themselves to contribute to the
renewal of the Institute by sending in their suggestions and
proposals. In recent days, with the creation of the commission
for the revision of the constitutions, we began the main
task that we are called to fulfill, according to the
Holy Father’s instructions. This is a work of utmost importance
in which all are called to participate actively, according to
their own possibilities and role.

The members of this
commission include not only the pontifical delegate as its president,
but also two of his advisors, experts in consecrated life
(Fr Gianfranco Ghirlanda and Fr Agostino Montan). The outcome will
depend on everyone’s collaboration, and will be endorsed by an
extraordinary general chapter and then by the approval of the
Holy See.

This task is one that demands interior
freedom and discernment to give our personal adherence to God’s
will. It is not the ideas of this or that
person that must prevail or prosper. It is a question
of actively listening to God’s will in the school of
the Church so as to re-read correctly the history of
the Institute and of one’s own vocation, to choose what
is best according to God’s plan. We are called, like
the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus, to see everything,
to take everything into our own hearts, to re-read everything
in light of the mystery of God. The ultimate objective
is to be free to give our yes promptly, like
Mary. The Lord will enter into us to take possession
of our life insofar as he finds the doors of
our hearts thrown open. Thus will the Kingdom of Christ
be established in our heart and in the life of
the Legion, which will thus truly be the Legion of
Christ. I wish you every good thing in the Lord,
and I bless each and every one of you, united
in prayer at the altar of the Lord.